District 1 Representative Beng Climaco has sought President Aquino’s intervention in the case of a Zamboangueno couple who have been sentenced by the Malaysian Court to die by hanging for drug trafficking.

As this developed, President Aquino has immediately directed the Department of Foreign Affairs to undertake all necessary measures to save Timhar Jimdani Ong and wife Nurie Ammang Ong from execution.

The congresswoman came to know about the dilemma of the Ong couple through ABS-CBN Zamboanga, whose assistance was sought by the Ong family residing in Baliwasan.

Aside from seeking the president’s intervention, Climaco also personally endorsed the concern to DFA Secretary Alberto Romulo and also conferred with Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Esteban Conejos, who is in charge of Migrant Workers’ Affairs.

The Ong couple is given only until September 29 to appeal for reversal.

Based on reports from ABS-CBN Zamboanga, the couple entered Kota Kinabalu, Malaysia in August 2005 as tourists and to buy cloth materials for business purposes in Zamboanga. Apparently, a Filipino woman befriended the couple and left in the couple’s care a box containing several items, which, authorities later discovered to contain 336 grams of shabu, causing the arrest.

Initially, the Lower Court in Malaysia ruled for a lighter penalty but authorities decided to elevate the case to the Higher Court, thus, the decision sentencing the couple to execution by hanging.

Climaco, who is House Deputy Speaker for Mindanao vowed to do everything possible to appeal for a reversal of the decision.

The Ong couple has 5 children—all studying in different schools in the city.